Dear Journal
by dark-halo-princess
Summary: Hmm, what would it be like to know how Lois Lane thinks? To live through Lois and Clark adventures with that extra tidbit of Lois exposure?
1. Diary Entry One: Dear Journal: Lois Lane

****

* * *

Dear Journal

* * *

Authored by dark-halo-princess

:A Smallville fanfic:

Pairing: Clark Kent and Lois Lane  
Genre: Romance, Drama and Humour  
Rating: M (Content not suitable for younger ages)  
Date last revised on: 09/05/09

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or any of its characters. This fanfic is created from my ramblings with the use of the characters from the show.

* * *

**Prologue**

Dear Journal: Lois Lane Is Writing This?

* * *

_Dear Journal,_

_I never conceived that one day I would be writing my own entries in a journal, but alas, here I am, now at the age of twenty something, writing my first one. To be honest, it was somewhat daunting for myself to realise that I _wanted_ to record and write about my days. Not that much goes on or anything – it's basically; wake up in the morning, get dressed, washed, have breakfast, travel to work, work through all the hours of the day and then travel back to the apartment, go out if bothered, go to the Kent farm (also if bothered) and then what else but to sleep? It's literally a normal day as normal can be. _

_Like yesterday for example, I woke up, travelled all the way from Smallville, Kansas, to Metropolis, Daily Planet where I work. Yes, I admit that I'm quite proud of the fact that _I_, Lois Lane work at such a place. Hell, I've been snooping about my whole life, looking for the latest news – a constant irritation for my father when he had dragged me across the whole world to army camps and bases. Where there was a story – I was there._

_I like my career and I like my life, although right at this moment I am going through some _pretty_ not-so-wanted complications. At this moment in time I don't feel particularly gracious to share them but one day, maybe. I might take out this pen and the write the dreaded words down for my own eyes to see. Crap! They're all ready imprinted into my mind and I can't get the thoughts out non-stop. And it doesn't help any that I have to wor-_

_Oops! I was _so_ not supposed to write that now. Oh well, it's my journal and I can stop wherever I want and cross out what I don't want. It's really refreshing. Who would have thought it – Lois Lane all grown up and writing in a journal? – It's quite laughable and if my cousin ever found out, I'd be running all the way to Mexico. Yes, all the way from here._

_What prompted me to attempt my first ever journal, you ask? Well, that's an answer rather inter-related with the thoughts in my mind (which I'm choosing not to share for now). You might found out some day, if you're lucky, just don't hold your breath as I sure as hell don't think it'll be any day soon!_

_-Drat! There's a knock at the door. I'll have to go but I'll be back tomorrow to write my next entry. This journal idea is not such a bad thing. Who knows? If I'm feeling like Happy Lois, I might just jot another entry down later tonight._

_Don't miss me!_

_LL._

* * *

**End Note**: Hey guys! This is my new _Smallville_ story. I'm trying it out and if you guys are interested, I'll be happy to continue at my usual stop and start pace, lol. No, but really, now that the holidays are coming for me, I'll be able to work the chapters more easily. This story will be made up of journal entries, from Lois Lane and normal story chapters. Also, I've uploaded chapter ten for _I Want You._

Please read and review!

Bye!


	2. Who's The Melancholy Birthday Girl?

**

* * *

**

Dear Journal

* * *

Authored by dark-halo-princess

:A Smallville fanfic:

Pairing: Clark Kent and Lois Lane  
Genre: Romance, Drama and Humour  
Rating: M (Content not suitable for younger ages)  
Date last revised on: 27/05/09

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or any of its characters. This fanfic is created from my ramblings with the use of the characters from the show.

* * *

**Chapter One:**

Who's The Melancholy Birthday Girl?

**

* * *

**

Lois harrumphed, sighed and muttered to herself, pulling herself out of her beloved car. She really did not have a second to waste today but here she was at the Kent farm, dragging herself along to another, what was going to be an excruciatingly sombre party for her. She was certain that her cousin Chloe had no idea that she'd cottoned on to her so called surprise birthday party and was probably ridiculously happy for her on this memorable day. But to Lois, this day could not have been any more abhorred – _hell_, she was getting a year older – was that such a happy occasion? Granted, she wasn't so old or anything but _come on_, twenty four had to be considered a mile stone or something – she felt _ancient_.

So here she was at half seven in the evening, all dressed up in her latest new cocktail dress as Chloe had said to dress up a little. One of her heels caught at the crack in the ground, causing her to tug and swear random curses at no one but the darkening air. She felt like a fool and could not drum up a little cheeriness even for her awaiting cousin and oh yeah, Clark Kent – _Smallville,_ to her.

Lois was truly grateful for being given such an attentive and loving cousin but really, on her birthday she did not need the fuss! It was not as if Lois' life this past year and half had been oh so great. In fact, if Lois was ever held at gun point – or rather her cousin was held at gun point – she would answer the honest truth, that the past year and half had been hell. The year had been a Lois nightmare.

From when she broke up with Oliver (whom she had thought at the time was going to be _the one_ but had turned out to be just another person placing her _second_ in his list of priorities), been kidnapped a couple of times (especially that time when the crazed jeweller had forced her under the truth detector with Clark as a spectator), having Lana make her reappearance, Chloe's wedding going haywire and her own life thrown out the window, Lois really did not have much to be thankful for. Not in her mind anyway.

But she had made a resolution – she was not going to wallow but meet whatever downfall appeared next head on. After all, she had landed herself a reporter's job at the _Daily Planet_, which was no easy feat and that must count for something.

So saying, Lois pulled herself together to brace the oncoming hugs and congratulations. She smiled to herself and told herself to _suck it up_ before marching up the steps to the barn.

"Happy birthday!"

"Congratulations on reaching another year, eh Lane?"

"What you got under that dress?"

"Happy birthday! Not every day you turn twenty four is it?"

"Congratulations!"

"Nice dress!"

"Nice legs!"

Shouts and cacophony of laughter echoed off the walls of the barn, thrown at Lois as she pushed through the crowds, sliding past men from the _Daily Planet_ and others she had never seen before. Women and men surrounded her, all around the walls until there was no place for her to retreat. Lois gritted her teeth and smiled at everyone, slapping the hand which not-so-innocently squeezed her bum.

Just as she was about to say thanks and move on, Chloe appeared through the throngs with Clark in tow. Clark was dressed in one of his signature suits (a new style since joining the _Daily Planet_ – his blue and red worn very seldom these days) and Chloe was all glorious in her sparkling number. Clark and Chloe must have gone all out with this party as the lights jumped off walls, reflecting around the room, creating the disco look with the sleek decor in a barn. Food was plenty all around, drinks were being poured like there was no tomorrow, party poppers were going off at intervals and all around the guests were enjoying themselves.

Lois smiled to herself at the thought of her cousin and Clark arranging this behind her back like she did not know – she was not about reveal that the clues had been calling to her for the past week.

"You made it Lois, happy birthday!" Chloe hugged her cousin, also reaching up to whisper, "your dress is tucked in," causing Lois to hastily tug near her bottom – drat the man who had squeezed her bum.

Lois smiled looking over at Clark who had averted his gaze just before her head had turned.

"Yeah, thanks Chloe, it's not every day I turn twenty four is it?" Lois grinned, echoing words yelled at her earlier as she came in. Her gloom towards this occasion was suddenly dissolving into not exactly excitement but something close to it. She had her cousin here as well as Clark and so many other people she knew.

"No it's not. Such as shame though isn't it? I'd love to stay this same age all my life – somewhat like immortal, huh?" Chloe wondered aloud. "Anyway, I say we should start worrying when we're nearing our thirties – now _that_ would be dreadful!" Chloe laughed above the music playing loudly in the background.

"I wouldn't be so sure Chloe," Clark voiced, "I mean, look at her, she looks somewhat closer to thirty than twenty four."

"Ooh that's nasty!" Chloe chuckled just as Clark received a swift punch to his shoulder from the ever faithful Lois.

"I wouldn't look so smug Kent as you're number's about to be up," Lois warned.

"All talk Lois, that's all you are."

"Remind me on Monday that you've got three rounds of photocopying to do and the lunch orders. Oh and I almost forgot, you can also collect my laundry," Lois smirked. "You are my errand boy after all."

"Don't go getting your hopes up Lois, find another errand boy, I'm your partner in crime."

"Partner? Yeah right! You sit by the desk all day while I chase up the stories, yelling at you to drag your ass out of that poor chair. And the rest of the time I can't even find you," Lois spluttered.

Clark flicked at her nose in response and wished her happy birthday with a tentative hug.

Chloe coughed beside them and smiled to herself. Her own worries with Jimmy and Davis Bloom had been pushed resolutely to the back of her mind for this night. It was her cousin's special day and she would make it the best. Lois had given her the best wedding reception ever, even if the whole wedding had crashed and burned and the aftermath had not been so good. It was all the preparation that counted and Chloe would be forever grateful.

"Come on, let's get this party started!" Someone yelled above the loud chatter, giggles and music, turning up the music another notch.

Through the next few hours the barn rocked with music and lights, a passerby on the road from a mile away would have heard all the music pumping and the loud laughter. It had been a happy, fun filled evening, turning into a very long night – no one seemed to want to leave. Men and women around the barn were caught up in the music, some couples heading out onto the fields and into corners to make out.

"You look so gorgeous Lois; no one would ever guess you were over twenty!" Chloe, now drunk on her fifth glass, shouted over the noise, dancing haphazardly along with the thumping beat, shaking Lois's arms up and down.

"Ha ha Clo. You're drunk as the drunkest Irish man and that's saying something," Lois laughed but inwardly she was a tad concerned. "How many glasses have you had?"

"Not many, not many, not many," Chloe repeated, "maybe I'll get another one, they're soooooo tasty," she ended with a giggle.

"Yeah, they're tasty alright Chloe and I've had my fair share." Lois glanced around the barn, "when are this lot planning to leave? Because it's well past two in the morning now and we've got work tomorrow," she groaned at the realisation.

"I'm not goin' to work. I'm going to lounge around aaaaall day and drink and party!" Chloe sang as she twirled on the make-shift dance floor.

Lois rose to attention, herself dancing around on the floor, one of her heels threatening to snap off. She snapped her head up, frantically glancing around for Clark so that he could take Chloe home, otherwise there would be disaster soon – Jimmy had chosen not to come today she'd learned since Chloe was obviously attending.

Lois' eyes eventually locked on Clark as she held Chloe by the waist and arm, attempting to pull her to one side of the barn. Clark was obviously enjoying himself, wrapped up in one of those blonde haired women seeming to be lost in his own world – or that was what Lois had ungraciously thought when his head snapped up, his piercing blue gaze locking on hers.

Lois involuntarily gulped, a visible swallow, forcing her gaze elsewhere but Clark had seen that plea in her eyes and had hopefully missed the hurt. He arrived at her side no later than ten seconds helping her with Chloe's weight.

"What is it Lois?"

Yeah, straight to the question – no messing with Lois, not when it was serious.

"Can you take Chloe home as she's a little drunk and I'll help throw this lot out and clear up? I want to head home, it's getting really late."

"Yeah sure," Clark answered, although his probing gaze was met with the side of Lois' head as she'd turned away.

When Clark came back an hour later, no one remained and the barn seemed eerily silent with no music and laughter. He entered the barn to find that Lois had pretty much cleared up the excess and was working on collecting and throwing away the remains from here and there – she must have worked very quick to get all that done. He had only been gone and hour after all, even if in that hour he had whisked Chloe home in her car, helped her into bed and then super sped back home.

Lois was in a hurry and he was sure that it was not only her need for waking up early tomorrow. However, Clark chose to remain silent on that point.

"Did you enjoy today then?" He asked – a safe question he was sure.

"Yeah I did, as much as you can when getting a year older."

"Good."

"Yeah."

Lois realised that their conversation was stilted but chose to ignore it – she just wanted to go home, soak in a hot bath and enjoy a deep, heavenly sleep (uninterrupted). This day had worn her out and she would have to reflect on it another time – there was no time left for reflection tonight.

"You suit that dress," Clark tried and then added hesitantly, "it looks good."

Lois' attentions had been grabbed at his remark but she tried valiantly not to show it and responded with a terse, "thanks."

Clark and Lois worked around the room another half hour in silence, both keeping conversation to a minimum and eyes averted.

"We're almost done, you can go back to the _Talon_ Lois and I'll see you at work tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, sure – make sure you're there bright and early," Lois quipped and then inwardly cursed herself. _She was back to cracking jokes now?_ So saying, Lois grabbed her purse and walked out of the barn heading for her car when a hand grabbed at her arm.

Clark winced at his abrupt action and dropped his arm but said, "come in for a snack, you haven't had anything to eat all evening."

"How would you know?" She replied, and did not add that he had been anywhere but near her but it was running through both their minds, when all off a sudden a tell tale grumble sounded from somewhere suspiciously near Lois' stomach.

Clark grinned – a flash of white teeth and that cheeky tilt of the lips.

"Fine, whatever – it's not like I don't have food at the_ Talon _where I could have easily made myself a sandwich before bed," Lois muttered under her breath.

She followed Clark back to the house, up the stairs and into the warmth of the kitchen. Without Mrs Kent here it seemed lonely at times like now when Lois wanted someone else and not only Clark for company. He was not on her favourite's list at the moment.

"So what'll you have? Bacon sandwich sound good to you?" Clark asked as he moved around the kitchen, pulling open cupboard doors and the refrigerator.

"It's night time, does it look like I'm going to eat bacon?" At the sight of Clark's raised eyebrows, she added, "fine Smallville, I'll have whatever you're having." "God," she muttered aside, "what a jerk."

"You talk a lot Lois."

"Compared to someone who doesn't talk a lot, I might add."

"I'm not going to get into this argument again."

"You started it," Lois grumbled as she kicked one of her heeled feet against the kitchen island, resounding in a satisfying thump sound.

"You're pretty surely today, something got your tongue?"

"Keep the questions to yourself Smallville."

"Actually about before –"

"Yeah, I forgot, I have to talk to about tomorrow. I thought we'd try and chase up on the magician suicide if we can. I'm sure another story's going to pop up tomorrow with you keeping an ear on the police scanner and all," Lois rambled.

Clark picked up on Lois' change of subject but answered her question. "I'm not sure about the magician's suicide – it doesn't seem like a suicide to me so there's no need to cover that."

"Exactly Smallville, that's the whole point don't you see it," excitement sparkled in her eyes as she continued, "someone must have killed him and is he really a magician or something else? I really want to cover that and Tess okayed it so we're good to go."

"Lois, the story is a month old; we won't be able to chase up any leads that far back."

"Trust me Smallville. I'm a master of chasing up leads no matter how old. Have you forgotten that?"

The truth was he had not forgotten and that was the point. He had a bad feeling about this story and he would try to keep Lois far away from it but it seemed as though now he would have a hard time closing her eyes from it. Once Lois got it into her head about something she never let it go. He was at the end of one of her chases, so he should know – the red and blue blur.

Somehow he guessed that he would be lucky if she did not find him – her superhero in disguise.

* * *

**End Note:** Hey everyone! The first chapter to this new story is here. Hope you enjoy! The next few chapters will arrive shortly, although I haven't even written them yet but I'm sure I'll get there. As you can see, like I said, this story will be made up of Lois's diary entries and then these chapters. There's lots of excitement to come (crazy, I hope, something to keep you on your toes).

Also, I've updated _I Want You,_ so check that out.

Please read and review!

See ya!


	3. Diary Entry Two: Lois Lane All Geared Up

**

* * *

**

Dear Journal

* * *

Authored by dark-halo-princess

:A Smallville fanfic:

Pairing: Clark Kent and Lois Lane  
Genre: Romance, Drama and Humour  
Rating: M (Content not suitable for younger ages)  
Date last revised on: 14/06/09

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or any of its characters. This fanfic is created from my ramblings with the use of the characters from the show.

* * *

**Chapter Two:**

Dear Journal: Lois Lane All Geared Up

* * *

Journal Entry Number Two:

_What a night! A surprise birthday party from Clark and Chloe but to let you into a little secret – it hadn't been all that much of a surprise as I'd literally heard Chloe making plans when I went over to the ISIS Foundation building, where she works._

_It was a very nice gesture though and as much as I hate to admit it, I enjoyed myself. What with watching Chloe get herself drunk, and I having a great time. Trust Chloe to give me a great, raucous party with loud mouthed idiots and colleagues from work._

_One peeve though, was that by the time I got back to the _Talon_, my heel had snapped off. Yep, threatening me all night and then finally doing the job. Took its time, didn't it?_

_But thinking back now to when I mentioned to Smallville, about the magician suicide – he was a tad bit opposed wasn't he? Which has me suspicious, I must admit. Come on! I wouldn't be a reporter without suspicion and curiosity guiding my instincts, them being my forte. But then again, I don't really care what Smallville says, I'm gonna rat out the stink in this case myself. _

_I can do it without his help, if he's not bothered._

_Oh, he was bothered with that girl last night. Probably had a hell of a time, chasing her and sticking by her all night. Sometimes, Smallville is so predictable that I think I'll be able to predict his life in the next fifteen years – a wife, a kid with the dog and picket fence. Not that he hasn't gotten the picket fence part down already._

_You know what I've decided? If he _does_ choose to help me out with this upcoming story, I'm gonna be making his life hell. That's right – I'm gonna have him chasing all the leads with me, every second of every day._

_So, here I am, writing my second ever entry._

_I might be sounding frustrated to you but hell, am I? I'm so geared up for this next case that I'm ready to track down this killer now. And I know it's a killer. It wasn't suicide and I'm gonna let the world know._

_LL._

_

* * *

_

**End Note:** The next chapter (a long one) will be up for tomorrow when I've finished writing it. News on my other Smallville fanfic, _I Want You _- should you wish to read a FULL LEMON scene at the end please go vote on my profile.

Please read and review!

dark-halo-princess  
x


	4. One Thought Too Many

**

* * *

**

Dear Journal

* * *

Authored by dark-halo-princess

:A Smallville fanfic:

Pairing: Clark Kent and Lois Lane  
Genre: Romance, Drama and Humour  
Rating: M (Content not suitable for younger ages)  
Date last revised on: 15/06/09

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or any of its characters. This fanfic is created from my ramblings with the use of the characters from the show.

* * *

**Chapter Three:**

One Thought Too Many

* * *

The _Daily Planet_ bull pen sang with the bustling of the reporters and their assistants, each with their phone attached to one ear and a pen moving in their hand. Chatter and interrogation, both over the phone and between each other, rang around the room, creating that electrifying buzz of people hard at work. The high top windows were open to let in the breeze and the cold air, much needed for every occupant in the large room. Not a desk sat unattended at every reporter used all the nook and crannies, spreading their notes out in their haphazard disorganisation.

One lone man by the corner desk in the far back, chatted furiously over the phone, desperate to set an appointment with one of Metropolis' leading surgeons, do discuss the rising epidemic of the cold virus.

Far from the bull pen and from across the top of the double set of stairs, the double doors burst open, letting in a huge gust of wind as Lois Lane entered – her coat cinched at the waist and big sized folders occupying her hands and arms.

She balanced the folders precariously before descending the stairs – her heels click-it and clack-ting as she walked. Somehow, without dropping a single folder, she made it into the bullpen and to her desk where she deposited them and turned to the unoccupied desk in front of her. She shook her head at his absence and unbelted her coat, leaving it on the back of her chair to go get herself a hot cup of morning coffee.

If she was honest with herself, the hot cup of coffee, would be her third of the morning – having had two cups back at the apartment already.

But she didn't need to tell anyone that.

So saying, she poured herself a cup and made it back to her desk when she felt a sudden gust of air whoosh past her. She looked to find Clark sitting across from her, on his side of the desk, fingers already tapping away at his keyboard.

Astounding, really, she thought. One minute he wasn't there and the next minute, there he was, all calm and unruffled, as if he'd been there for hours, simply working.

Lois shook her head as she approached him, coming to perch at the edge of his desk, sipping her coffee when he looked up with a smile.

"Hi there Lois. I see you've made it in on time today."

"Someone has to," she smiled sweetly at him and continued, "we have a big story to chase. It wouldn't do to sit at home all day, would it?"

"And what case is this?" Clark frowned, "You're not still on about the magician's suicide are you? Because I have to tell you Lois that I don't think we should cover that."

"Yeah, you've already said that." Lois dismissed his argument with a toss of her head, "I say we start on it right now. I have to tell you, I don't have much on it yet but there are quite a few leads still open. We'll latch onto one and chase it from there. A lot of digging to do, Smallville." When Lois saw him about to open his mouth she said, "not on this one Smallville. I'm having my way."

"When don't you have your way?" He grumbled to himself but she heard and raised an eyebrow in mock question, "I still go with a feeling that this is a really bad idea, but I'll tag along. Someone has to keep a tag on you or who knows what you'll get up to."

"That's right Smallville. Good thinking. I'm with you all the way," and with that declared, she gifted him with a wide grin.

Clark sat silent for a while just following her antics.

"Oh, and by the way, thanks for that necklace," she hesitated, "you know for my birthday, yesterday? Well, I like it."

Clark paused in his reply, stunned by her thanks because to Lois, this was something huge. So in the end he only said, "Great. I'm glad you like it."

Lois wavered and then smiled, watching him smile back.

Lois went back to her desk and the next couple of hours passed by with the couple exchanging short sentences to get their search started. They needed to find out who first reported the suicide, or rather how it was discovered and who was called in for it. They would need an interview with the officers and with the witness if there was any. All Lois knew so far, was that it hadn't been suicide but murder and Clark was willing to go with that as he held similar suspicions.

Sometime near midday they both went for their lunch together at a nearby cafe – wanting to get out of the stuffy and crowed bull pen.

When they came back and got back to work, tapping away at the computer, Lois had been momentarily distracted by Clark's rhythmic tapping on the desk with one of his hands. She'd watched from the corner of her eye for a period and then shook herself before getting back to task.

Unbeknownst to Lois, Clark had known her gaze had been trained on him – he had superpowers to detect that kind of thing. And she hadn't seen the smile curving his lips before he'd immediately wiped it away.

There was a break of ten minutes when he'd heard a small voice calling for his help and he'd told Lois he was going to the men's. She'd not even raised her head, so consumed she was on her recent findings. So he'd rescued the boy from a deep hole in the ground and super-sped back to the _Planet _without anything going amiss.

"Smallville, I've found something we overlooked earlier," Lois called him over. "Look over here," she pointed when he came up behind her, "this man says he saw the magician leaving early the day before he died, and it appears that when he came back late at night, some other person came back with him."

"Yeah, I can see that," Clark breathed, his breath rustling Lois' hair, "It also states that the magician and this person had an argument."

"Hmm, we could check that out, but don't you find this all a little coincidental?"

"It could be that, but then people argue all that time. What's to say this has anything to do with the case?" Clark asked, turning his head to study her face.

Lois wrinkled her brow, "that's why we're investigating this story Smallville. We'll find out whether this argument is significant or not."

Clark altered his questioning, "and how do you intend to do that?" At Lois' perplexed expression, he added by pointing to another part on the computer screen, "look here, it says that the person who found the dead body was later found dead in his apartment, only a day later. Who are you going to interrogate now?"

Clark saw Lois gulp, "okay, so I missed that but there's always a way. And isn't this more of an evidence that something big is going down?"

Clark really wished he didn't have to answer this because of course he'd known this case was big, he'd found clues all over the searches he'd made. But to tell Lois would get her into more trouble and she was already danger prone – but then she was a reporter and that's what they did.

Why couldn't she have chosen a safer profession?

"Okay, so we need to contact the officers and interview them, right? Would they give us an interview?"

"We'll have to find out," Lois said as she got up, pulled on her coat, trusting Clark to follow her.

Once on the busy streets, Clark guided her over to his truck and when she raised her eyebrows as if saying,_ what, we're travelling in this rust bucket when we're trying to come across as professional? _Clark said, "we can't go in yours, it's parked on the other side."

"Fine," Lois grumbled and buckled herself in.

Once in the car, Lois's cell began vibrating with the ringing tone extra shrilling in the truck.

"Hello?"

"Lois, it's me," Chloe's voice drifted down the phone.

"Hey Chloe, how's your hangover?" Lois grinned and Clark shook his head.

"You could sound a little sympathetic Lois. It's not easy suffering from a hangover when I have to go into work soon," Chloe voiced.

"Hey! This is my way of showing sympathy. You shouldn't have drunk so much, although it was hilarious watching you dance after," Lois laughed.

A side comment of, "sympathy? Hah!" From Clark had her slapping him on his thigh.

"Is Clark there?" Chloe asked at the sound of Clark's voice.

"Yes, unfortunately he is. We've got a lead on the case I was telling you about last week. I thought we'd check it out and guess what? I believe this story is going to be a great one," Lois chirped. "The guy who found the dead body is dead so somebody had to have killed him and so Smallville and I are going to seek them out."

"He's dead?"

"Yep," Lois affirmed down the phone, "died a day after he reported it in. Poor guy didn't have chance. Whoever's done this is pretty adamant about keeping it tight lipped. So obviously it must be something huge!"

"Yeah Lois, I'm guessing it is. Please be careful. You know how you get yourself so caught up in these," Chloe entreated.

Clark gestured to Lois that they'd arrived at the Metropolis police station, "we're here Lois."

Lois nodded to him to show she'd heard, "Listen Chloe, I have to go, we're at the police station. So I'll call you later."

Lois placed her phone in her back pocket, wrapping her coat tightly around her before she joined Clark at the other side of the truck, ready to enter the police station. Clark glanced down at Lois and smiled before he placed his hand at the back of her nape, gently squeezing once and then letting go. They walked up the steps together, entering through the double doors into the busy commotion of police activity. Lois saw officers walking around from one place to other, some going up in elevators and others making themselves a cup of coffee – even police officers needed a boost.

Clark walked with Lois towards the big wall to wall counter at one side of the room, making eye contact with the receptionist there.

"Hello, how may I help you" the receptionist greeted them.

Lois, like in most situations, decided to take charge by placing herself in front of Clark, placing her hands firmly on the counter, leaning forward and beginning with, "You can help us by giving us the names of the officers who investigated the Sloan magician murder. She smiled a warm smile at the male receptionist – a little smile could get her a long way.

Clark remained bemused at Lois's actions, frowning at the back of her head, his eyes scrunched in thought, but the receptionist's answer to Lois's subtle demand interrupted his runaway his thought about how to strangle Lois Lane.

"Sorry ma'am, but that case was closed a month ago. No further interviews are allowed."

Lois furrowed her brows, refusing to back down, "well, you see, I'm wanting to know a little about this case-"

Her words were cut off as Clark came closer behind her, placing his large hand to one side of her on the desk near hers, saying, "Miss Lane and I are from the _Daily Planet_. We're looking to revisit the case. Can you please tell us if the officers are in and ask them if they can make time for us?"

The reception, clearly perplexed at the sight of these two reporters, hesitated before picked up the phone and dialling up to the offices. Lois watched him make the call and listened avidly to his conversation to make sure he really told them like it was, while Clark measured the activity which surrounded them.

It was like a zoo in here, for a better word. Officers and people moving about, having to squeeze past each other at some points because of the lack of space and the cramped quarters – the situation was better back at the_ Planet_. One of the suspects brought in for questioning, caught his eye and gave him the evil glare – his eyes bloodshot and a huge silver earring decorated one of his cut up ears. Likely been in a fight, Clark assumed.

Lois' unconscious movements brought her closer to him; her back now pressed lightly against his front, leading him to glance down at her head. She wasn't even aware.

When one of the officers had to drag the suspect into an interview room, Clark wondered why the crime rates were so high. But he knew the answer – it was a rhetorical question his mind asked several times a day.

"Miss Lane and Mr..."

"Kent," Clark switched his attention back to the receptionist, "it's Clark Kent."

"Mr Kent," the receptionist finished, "you'll be seen now. Officer McGregor and Detective Malone will see you now. If you'd like to go up?" He gestured towards one of the elevators, "the sixth floor and second room on the right."

"Thanks," Lois gave him a big smile before twisting her head to look up at Clark.

"Come on," he said, grasping her arm to pull her along through the crowd.

"Since when have you taken the lead?"

"Since today," Clark's deep baritone leapt straight down her back at the close proximity, "this place is heaving with people. Not to mention that half of these people have been brought in for one thing or another."

"When have you turned the cynical one? Weren't you the one who said innocent until proven guilty?" Lois quirked her mouth at him.

Clark grinned down at her, his hand tightening on her arm which did not go unnoticed by her. "I did say that, and I stick by it but no one said that you couldn't be careful."

"I'd say your beliefs are changing," she chuckled.

Just before they reached the elevator, one of the suspects who'd been brought in, bumped into Lois, causing her to stumble and forcing Clark to grasp her around the waist. After she righted herself, she looked up at Clark and he at her – their silent communication lasting several seconds until the elevator door blinked open and Clark pushed her in.

"Hey, watch it Smallville! These shoes," she glanced down at her black court shoes, "do not show mercy. And I've broken a pair yesterday."

Clark stared at her as if she'd uttered the Ten Commandments, he was that confused by her reasoning. She was jostled around and she wanted to save her shoes? Clark shook his head incredulously, waiting for the elevator car to reach the sixth floor.

"Some could liken you to a Neanderthal at that move, Smallville," Lois stated, her voice steeped with great sincerity.

Again Clark was silenced into bemusement. The stuff she came up with was priceless and to look at her, he would have never guessed her to be so feisty if he hadn't known her. "Really Lois, I'm sure that's stepping a step too far," he drawled, his eyes daring her to oppose him.

"Oh I wouldn't exactly say that. I mean, you're not pretty far off," Lois rattled on, eyes lit with glee, "just strip and stand buck naked like you did the first time I met you and you could pull off the whole Neanderthal act."

She couldn't believe she'd just said that. Lois removed her eyes from his widened gaze, suddenly finding great importance with her shoes. Her face burned with mortification at what she'd just spoken aloud – _Smallville naked?_ And just before she thought she was going to faint from embarrassment, the elevator door pinged open and she rushed out like there was no tomorrow.

Clark couldn't speak – that was happening a lot lately. Had Lois just said what he thought she had?

Maybe the world had spun upside down.

"Right here, this is the room. Second room on the right, yeah?" Lois asked and without waiting for an answer or looking his way, she pushed the door, rushing in.

_Man_, she couldn't believe she'd said the words naked related to Smallville, out loud – how was she ever going to get over this?

When Clark strode into the room, he noticed things which Lois had missed, for one thing; the row of desks on the left side. She'd continued walking until she was standing against a wall where there were no people. He waited for her to become conscious of her mistake and grinned when he saw her puzzled face. She looked around, assessing if anyone had seen her commit such an act and then walked over to the desks.

"Hello? Is there a Detective Malone anywhere around here?"

Clark joined Lois' side when a tall man with dark hair and a strong gait stepped toward them.

"I am Detective Malone," he said, "and you must be Miss Lane and Mr Kent. This here," he indicated to a younger man, "is officer McGregor."

They introduced themselves to each other, catching glances from others working in the room then and again. It wasn't everyday that a couple of reporters were actually welcomed into their home abode.

"Shall we take a seat elsewhere? There seem to be too many people in here," Detective Malone smiled, but that smile didn't reach his eyes. So, obviously he wasn't very happy about them being here.

The younger officer didn't seem overly concerned, apparently filling in for his part. Someone as lowly as him in the police department wasn't considered an asset by the higher ranked members. He was just obeying the orders which had been given to him – to meet with the two reporters who were here to question about a month old (closed) case, which he'd been the officer to report in.

Seeing that they had been into their discussion for a half hour and gotten through the gritty-nitty part of the case, the younger officer took himself out of the room to collect snacks for them.

Lois was amazed at the information which was unloaded. There were so many options she could take to get herself deeper into the story – not only had it been a supposed suicide but there had been a note left by the magician, asking that his magician's studio go to one of his students. At the piece of information, Lois's mind had started working faster because she was sure that there was more to this case than met the eye.

Detective Malone informed them that the case had been closed as they were unable to follow any leads and because to all intents and purposes, at the end of it all, it had looked like a suicide. The post-mortem had been unable to impart them any great discoveries.

Lois had acted the willing female to hear his reasons for allowing her and Clark to have an interview with him. In his mind, he wasn't all that bothered what happened now since the case was very unlikely to be re-opened, oh so he'd said, and he hadn't been all that concerned since the magician had been one of those odd ones. All in his own words – exactly the phrase he'd used – _one of the odd ones_.

When Lois and Clark left the building, they were accosted with busy traffic and people rushing past. It was one busy day.

"So what do you think?" Lois asked Clark, desperate to get away from the subject of her earlier naked comment, as she'd been able to achieve through the interview with the Detective.

"Lois, watch where you're going," was his answer. She'd stepped into the road when a car had zoomed straight past, punching the horn.

Lois didn't tell him that her mind had been preoccupied with sorting out her new worries.

Clark frowned down at her, pulling his suit forward in his grasp after he'd taken it off. It was pretty hot under the Metropolis sun.

"Okay, I got it," she said as they eventually crossed the road and got into the truck. "So tell me, what did you think?"

Her question held a note full of satisfaction as she'd known that this story was huge.

Clark gave her a wry glance, his eyes momentarily caught on a stray strand of her hair. "I admit it. You were right and I was wrong – not that I didn't already know that this was big. I just didn't want you to get involved."

"Smallville," she popped her eyes at him mock dramatically, "My hero." Then she added seriously, "Clark, I'm a reporter. We get into the thick of things, even if that is danger. It goes with the territory. You know that. Just think of it this way – I get into trouble and you help me get out of it, although I don't _always_ need your help."

Clark grinned at her solemnity and thought how cute she looked sitting there all ruffled and defensive, with that touch of unwavering resolve. Then he shook his head as he rolled the truck down the busy road – he couldn't be thinking Lois Lane as cute. That was like saying a bull had a sweet nature.

Clark smiled to himself.

Lois turned her head in time to catch that smile, and contemplated on whether to call him out on it – but then it could be about her earlier comment she'd made in the elevator car. Better not to risk it, she finalised.

On the other hand...no!

While Clark drove the truck back to the _Planet_, they sat in silence, Lois's mind filled with thoughts on this very intriguing case. She knew that they were opening up a whole can of worms – dangerous ones at that – but then, those stories mostly turned out the best.

At the end, she'd have a front page by-line – sharing said by-line with Clark – only a minute detail. She could afford to be generous since he was helping her out and all. Oh and what about her resolution? – The one that if he chose to partner her on this, then she'd drag him everywhere? It had already begun.

Inwardly, Lois Lane grinned a very wicked smile.

Back at the _Planet_, the pair chased up old leads, looking for contact details for people who lived or still live around the area where magician Malone was found dead.

Through the rest of the day Clark brought over mugs of coffee, always refilling hers before it ran out. This gesture was so kind that Lois smiled a gentle smile at his behaviour. She would admit that he looked after more than she looked after him and it was a gentle thought.

She'd been brought up a tough General's daughter with no mother and a younger sister she'd practically raised. But sitting here now at this desk, at the _Planet_, in the middle of Metropolis; she was a happy woman. She had friends all around her and that was what she was most thankful for.

"Do you want to catch a meal before we head home?" Clark's deep voice brought Lois back from her daydreams.

Lois thought about what he'd asked and thought why not? It couldn't hurt. "Yeah, that's great. I've got the time and it's not like I have any big plans to eat at the _Talon_."

Clark grinned a huge grin – one that almost split his face in half.

"So what you're really saying Lois," he held out her coat for her, "is that you prefer my company to no company?"

Lois balked at the idea, fastening her coat on; she didn't see his laughing eyes when she replied, "Please! Do _not_ get ahead of yourself here, farm boy. I am merely accepting a free meal from a friend who offered." Lois said, so pleased with herself at the warming conclusion.

Clark raised an eyebrow so high, Lois believed that it might have gone under his hair line, were it not there. "Who said anything about it being a free meal?"

Lois raised her chin in the air, perfecting someone with a haughty attitude down to a t, "why, you of course. A free meal for me – I deserve one after all the hard work I've put in today."

At that statement and look from Lois, Clark's deep laughter bubbled out, uncontainable. His laugh was rich and warm, and Lois almost lost herself in it until they stepped out into the dark, cold of outside. The air rushed her and she breathed in the fresh air after remaining cooped up so long in the building.

"Come here," Clark called over to her, as he gathered her to him to fight off the cold air and walked the few blocks to the restaurant, deciding to come back for their cars later.

Lois shivered from the cold and from something else too but she stubbornly chose not to acknowledge that.

"So, what will you buy for me?" Lois began; her warm breath visible in the cold air. "Let's see...you could get me a tomato soup with bread for the starter so that I warm up and then a salad or something. Ooh and then you could get me some steak – all juicy and full so that I have a full stomach to face the day tomorrow." Lois's voice drifted down the street as they walked. "And...wait for it...a big piece of double chocolate truffle cake which will leave me all happy, meaning you won't have to face a grumpy me tomorrow," she concluded.

Clark smiled indulgently down at her head as she blathered on about random stuff and they carried on walking down the blocks. Clearly she'd forgotten about the comment she'd made in the elevator or she wouldn't have been this comfortable with him and would have refused to take shelter under his arm.

"You know what I think Smallville? I think you should hire me a private cook so that when I want food, he can make it..."

* * *

**End Note:** Expect the next chapter up sometime in the next two weeks as I'm focused on finishing _I Want You_. Thanks to those who've reviewed, even if only a few and to all reading this fic. If I don't get as many reviews, I may put this story on hold for a while so that I can focus on my others - there's no point rushing to get this one done if not many people are enjoying it. Sorry to those who are, but I will continue it - I enjoy this fic myself so I won't stop.

Please read and review!

Bye!


	5. A BullHeaded Lois Lane

**

* * *

**

Dear Journal

* * *

Authored by dark-halo-princess

:A Smallville fanfic:

Pairing: Clark Kent and Lois Lane  
Genre: Romance, Drama and Humour  
Rating: M (Content not suitable for younger ages)  
Date last revised on: 02/07/09

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or any of its characters. This fanfic is created from my ramblings with the use of the characters from the show.

* * *

**Chapter Four:**

A Bull-Headed Lois Lane

* * *

"Come on Lois, you can't be serious!" Clark yelled over the purr of the engine.

"I'm totally serious farm boy. You better get your act together because the way you're going, it's no way a reporter will ever get to the top."

Clark scowled, his features set into a dark cloud of emotion as he watched Lois hang precariously on the edge of a precipice under a window. She'd been climbing the side of the wall for the last five minutes and his patience was hanging thin.

"I haven't a clue where you get these ridiculous notions Lois, but there is no need," here he paused as he got out of his truck and slammed the door, "to break into a building to get your by-line."

"Don't be silly Smallville, you have to," Lois grunted as her leg jarred against the wall, "go get it yourself. You can't sit all day at your desk, hoping a story comes at you. Smallville," she entreated as if she was talking to a mere five year old, "you have to chase the story."

"Okay, keep your notions to yourself but for now will you just get down from there?" He demanded as he watched her above, about eight feet off the ground, against the wall, trying valiantly to slide up the window so she could slide in.

"You know Smallville, it wouldn't kill you to give me a hand here," she muttered. "A girl could use a little help now and again. Anyway, while we're on this topic," she managed to unlock the latch, "how come I'm up here and you're down there?" She peered down at him.

Clark huffed out a breath at Lois' bullheadedness and glanced about the back alley they were parked in. He bristled when he recalled how earlier Lois had commented that his truck fit right into this neighbourhood and too bad he was such a boy scout.

"Ooh, I've got it!" Lois rejoiced, grabbing Clark's attention.

He glowered up at her as she let herself in and looked around once more to make sure no one was around before he scaled, or rather jumped up the wall to the ledge and slid in through the window, right behind Lois.

Lois rolled and came up on her feet exclaiming, "hey, how did you manage to get up and in so fast?" She looked really worked up, as if she couldn't believe that Clark had been able to best her.

Clark grinned and said no more.

Lois narrowed her eyes at Clark before she turned away to study the room they were in. It was supposed to be an apartment but being in this neighbourhood, the apartment was more like a small, stuffed closet with no space to breathe. She'd tracked down the apartment yesterday when they'd begun their story on the magician murder and had decided to leave apartment hunting for today. It was daylight but she didn't think anyone would care or take notice since the neighbourhood was filled with thugs and burglaries occurred every other hour.

Lois' sharp eyed glances at the objects around the room did little to gain her any evidence on what she was looking for. All she noted was that since the murder, a couple of months ago, the place had been cleaned up – all the white tapes and all evidence of a forensic team gone. The local police had not been able to class it as anything other than suicide even though there was plenty of evidence at their labs which suggested otherwise.

While Lois walked around, not touching anything, Clark stood in his place, where he'd entered through the window, using his x-ray vision to tunnel out any hidden evidence.

The place, though it had been cleaned after the murder, still resembled something of a teenage shack. Cans were littered around the room, and stray condoms lay haphazardly about, smears of food graced the small worn away sofa and pen markings illuminated the walls. People had been here – probably used as a squatters' place.

"The owner of this building, when I spoke to him yesterday told me that no one wanted this apartment when he advertised it. It was boarded up but it had been broken in and so he locked the door from the hallway and has left it unattended ever since," Lois said.

Clark glanced at her, "People have to sleep somewhere."

"Yeah, I know, but to leave it like this?"

"Well..." Clark began, "we can't all be clean and tidy like you Lois," he finished wryly – both of them knowing that she was untidier than him.

"Ha ha farm boy. You've cracked me up."

Clark grinned at her straight face.

Lois gestured toward a table where sat a candle holder, "don't you find something odd about that. The way it's tilted to one side?"

Clark looked at the object and shrugged, "Lois, it could have been made that way and forensics would have noticed it."

Lois shook her head, "not really. Like you, if they assumed it was designed that way they wouldn't have looked at it twice. I think we should get it checked out. There may be markings on it, you never know."

Clark raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not saying that I'm a detective or something but hey, anyone can make a guess about something. Reporters and the police work hand in hand."

"Yes, Lois," Clark began sarcastically, "we work with the police. Does your mind slip when they turn us away at incident sights?"

Lois muttered something under her breath as she walked towards the table to pick up the candle holder. It was in black charcoal colour with smooth curved handles and intricately designed markings adorning it. She wanted one of these for her apartment.

"I don't think you should be touching that Lois."

Lois ignored him.

She reached out and picked it up, surprisingly heavy and sturdy, despite its look of delicacy. As she moved the holder in her hands, to trace the patterns and look for any signs of smears, Clark again x-rayed the room and found nothing. His dismay grew, because as surely as Lois knew this story was big, his gut told him that it had been a murder and not a minor one either. For some inexplicable reason, Clark was absolutely positive that this magician's murder was linked to something big.

His eye caught on the bottom edge of the sofa, at a sever tear under the staples. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he x-rayed the place and his mind zinged with triumph when a hidden object graced his vision.

With Lois occupied with the candle holder, he went over to the sofa and bent down. When he reached with his hand, scaling the bottom, he slipped his hand inside the tear, his hand connected with a solid object. To Clark, the object felt suspiciously like metal so he grasped it and pulled it out.

"Smallville, what are you doing?" Lois' voice startled him.

Clark spun around, the object in his hand the centre of her view.

"Major find Smallville, well done," Lois said like a teacher to a student.

Clark grimaced as the image came to mind.

"What do you think it is? Let me have a look," Lois said as she came closer to him.

Clark fisted his hand around the object, small enough for it to enclose in his hand. "Let me have a look at it first since I found it."

Lois stopped surprised that he had said that to her.

Clark didn't want to put them in any danger and he wasn't sure what the object was about. So in order not to bring danger to Lois, he refused to let her inspect the object first. He wouldn't be surprised what she'd manage to do with it.

"Fine look all you want and then it's my turn. I've found something on the candle holder," Lois said, pride toning her voice, because she'd known that something was afoot here.

"What have you found?"

"Like I said, I suspected there might have been smears of something, the holder being out of shape. And don't worry, I was careful. Before you get your mouth going, I handled it carefully so I didn't touch the smears. We don't always need to wear gloves," she finished before he could say it for her.

Clark frowned.

"Don't go all stuffy on me," she nodded at the object in his hand, "just check that out. We've found quite a lot here today." Lois was all excitement, her reporters mind bubbling with the thrill.

Lois watched as Clark moved away from her to look over the object. He opened his hand and the object lay flat in his hand. There was no particular way to describe it, for it was an odd shape with an even odder colour. One side was flat – the part which lay flat on Clark's palm – and the other was dome shaped. It was a kaleidoscope of colour – with various shades of green, red, yellow and brown highlighting each angle. Clark stared mesmerised before he shook himself from the sudden stupor and moved the object about in his hand.

There was nothing telling about it. All it looked like was a solid object of odd shape and colour. An object he couldn't make heads or tail of since he hadn't believed something like this existed.

"Let me have a look," Lois called, "you've had your turn. How long does it take anyway?"

Clark thought for a second before he got up and turned over the object to Lois. She grasped it with curiosity, her dark head bent and her eyes glued to the object in hand. Clark kept a watch over her as he surveyed the room and walked around once, making sure they were alone.

Just as he was about to turn away from the open window, after a glance at his truck, his super hearing picked up a slight scuffle somewhere close by. He heard muffled voices and that's when his eyes widened.

A second hadn't passed from when he heard the voices to when something flew through window and Clark super sped to Lois, her interest on the object making her unaware of his actions.

"Get down!" He yelled, before he pushed Lois onto the ground behind the sofa, his larger body covering her vulnerable one.

Heat exploded in the small room they occupied and flames blazed around. Clark kept his hand cupped around Lois' head and shielded her body with his, tucking her into him as he heard her gasp for breath. He knew that they would have to get out soon or otherwise Lois would suffocate from the rising fumes of smoke.

Lois heaved; her mind haywire. One second she'd been standing in the room inspecting the object in her hand and the next the room was exploding in flames and Clark was on top of her.

"Okay Lois," Clark huffed – despite the fact that he was super–human; he still had a need to inhale clear air. "We're going to have to be very careful when we get out. I heard voices just before the room blew up."

Lois was amazed at Clark taking charge but then someone had to. And wasn't he feeling the heat on his back, because covering her and keeping her protected was surely not doing him any good? When she voiced her thoughts out loud, Clark shrugged it off and said he was okay, the worst was gone.

Lois' throat was beginning to ache with the smoke going up her nose and blocking her senses – her breathing became more laboured, and it had only been two minutes or so since the flames erupted.

"Someone is obviously onto us Lois and we have to get out now."

Lois nodded, her head brushing against Clark's jaw.

The flames around the room were growing, threatening to consume the place in a matter of seconds. The sofa which had acted as a minor shield for them was also now going up in flames.

"Lois, I'm going to get up and look to see if there's anyone in here with us," Clark said, but he knew that there was no one.

Lois nodded, her voice having deserted her.

Clark glanced down at the back of her head and slowly eased himself off of her before he stood; trying not to alert Lois to his movements because then she'd wonder how he passed the flames. When he eventually came to the middle of the room, there lay two bricks with canisters attached, both empty. Whatever had been in there, Clark was sure it had set the room on fire.

The flames of heat did nothing to deter Clark from his investigating around the room and standing aside the window he listened for any remaining sounds but none came. They must have left.

Thinking of how Lois was still curled behind the sofa brought him up short. It was unusual – Lois was always at the front of the action. Wouldn't she have protested when he'd said that he'd get up and look? Wouldn't she have said that she would look?

Clark frowned and walked back to where Lois was, finding her still curled in her position. He crouched near her, intending to jostle her aware but when he touched her, she was cold, unusually cold. And in this blazing heat, she should have been roasting.

Clark's radar went off and he reached out a hand to push her hair from her face after he turned her. But to his horror, he found her eyes glazed and widened and her breathing laboured, intensely so.

Something was not right.

"Lois? Lois can you hear me?" His anxious tone rose in fear when she didn't respond.

"Lois?"

"C-Cla," she began but that was all that she managed before she closed her eyes.

In a moment of utter horror, Clark was stunned frozen. What was happening?

Clark reached under Lois, one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees, and pulled her up, holding her against his chest. Her body was limp, raising Clark's fears.

What was happening to her?

Again, Clark shielded Lois as he rushed through the flames, leaving all evidence but one of the canisters behind before he super sped her to the Metropolis Central Hospital.

The emergency ward was very busy like usual.

"Someone help me!" Clark yelled.

His voice captured the attention of a nurse, who'd passed on a gurney with a patient on.

"Something's happened to her. You have to help. She's so cold and we've been in a fire."

The nurse looked them over – Clark's clothes black and his face covered in soot, so was Lois but not as covered as him.

The nurse placed her hand on Lois' head and then her eyes widened before she called for a team.

Clark stood and watched as the team brought out a gurney, strapped Lois in and had her taken to a treatment room where they checked her pulse, her temperature and the rest.

Clark's gaze stayed locked on Lois' limp form, him standing on the other side of the glass, watching. A half hour passed and still she did not wake.

The doctor who had assessed Lois' condition came over.

"I am afraid we cannot tell exactly what has brought on this condition for Miss Lane but we have found that her breathing was affected, so in effect whatever affected her attacked her lungs first. I have tested her to find the cause of the temperature drop and if as you say, you were in a fire, it is astonishing how her body managed to drop temperature levels when they should have risen."

Clark listened, his gaze jumping from the doctor back to Lois' unconscious form. They'd told him earlier that it would take an hour or so for her to wake up – that was all they were certain of.

"Mr Kent you must understand that this case is something we have not dealt with before. Are you sure there is nothing that can aid us in working out what caused this condition. Maybe something in the room that caught on fire?"

Clark spared him a glance and turned back to Lois.

For some reason, he felt hesitant in revealing his suspicions about the content of the canister. He wasn't sure why, but his instinct warned him that the contents of those canisters were not legal and were uncommon. Clark wanted to give the evidence to the doctor but what if they were caught in a bigger game that he'd assumed? This throwing a brick with something deadly which had affected Lois was big game. The stakes had gone up and they'd only begun their investigation.

"Yes, I have something," Clark began – he had to do anything that could help Lois, "it's an empty canister I found before we got out."

He held out the canister – a small thin cylinder with a red lid.

"Mm, if I could take this in for testing?" The doctor asked.

Clark nodded.

"We may be lucky in discovering an anomaly which may help Miss Lane. Thank you." With those words the doctor departed, his face solemn.

And Clark just realised that he'd given a piece of their evidence away. But in the bigger scale it didn't matter, because all the counted was that Lois woke up well and healthy.

A nurse came out after the doctor left, telling Clark that he could go in to see Lois if he wanted now.

They'd left her in the treatment room, anticipating anything that could happen as they weren't completely sure about what was wrong with her.

Clark came to stand by Lois' still form, thinking how just earlier she'd been her spitfire self. His eyes crossed over his clothes, all covered in soot and his hands also. Careful not to jar her or dirty her, he reached for her hand when a voice interrupted.

"You'll have to wash your hand before you can touch her, Mr Kent. Hospital policies," the nurse droned before she left the room again.

So Clark turned to one of the basins in the disinfected room and washed his hands with the offered soap from the hand dispenser.

When he came back to Lois' side, she was still unconscious. He'd been worried when the doctor had informed him she'd stay like this for a while but he said that she would stay in a minor coma for a while before the poison (that's what they called the empty canister substance) left her body.

Apparently, Lois was lucky the doctor said. He'd explained that had she been in the fire consumed room for another minute or two, her lungs would have collapsed.

Clark couldn't bear thinking of Lois gone and he thanked the lucky stars that he'd had the thought to check on her back at the magician's apartment.

Looking down at her still form, her face pale and her fiery eyes closed, Clark gave in to the urge to stroke her dark rich hair. He'd had the fancy to do that for quite a while but their relationship didn't allow that.

His eyes lost themselves in Lois as he stood at her side stroking his hand through the long, thick hair over and over again, his gaze wistful. Her hair was soft as silk to the touch. Clark wasn't sure how long he stood there like that but after a while, he stopped and took one of her hands into his large callused one.

Her skin had warmed from before, proving to Clark to be a good sign. The poison was leaving her system. Clark breathed a sigh of relief as watched the rise and fall of Lois' chest, watching her breath and all the while his thumb on the hand holding hers, unconsciously rubbing back and forth against her pulse in the wrist.

"Your girlfriend will be fine Mr Kent. There is no need to worry. The doctor has said that she will wake up in a while," another nurse, different than the one before said as she came into the room to check on Lois.

Clark had started at the word girlfriend and decided not to correct the nurse. It was a minor blip.

For the next half hour Clark sat in a chair close by the unconscious Lois, holding her hand and thinking of the story they were chasing. It had already hurt Lois but she wouldn't stop, and now he knew it would be even more imperative for her to find the real story because things had just escalated in the danger area. Lois loved the thrill.

The window to the far side of the room let in the afternoon breeze, cooling Clark. He gazed outside after staring at Lois and Chloe came in.

"Clark, what's happened to her?"

"We were at the magician's apartment, looking around when all of a sudden I heard voices and bricks were thrown through the open window."

"Wow! This is some story Lois is chasing."

Clark shook his head and glanced at the sleeping Lois, taking Chloe's gaze with him. She moved toward her cousin and placed her hand on her forehead.

"She doesn't have a temperature."

"Yeah. She was so cold when she should have been burning up in the fire which caught in the apartment."

Chloe furrowed her brows in worry, "what has the doctor said?" Clark hadn't filled her in on much when he'd called to tell her Lois was in the hospital.

Clark stiffened, "he doesn't know for sure as Lois' condition is very rare. But I found this canister Chloe and I think something in that affected her."

"But you weren't affected because of your powers," Chloe finished for him.

"Yeah."

Chloe gazed down at her cousin and for the countless number of times she wondered when her cousin would stop getting caught up in these things.

"She is going to wake up though?" Chloe asked and thought not to comment on Clark's hand holding her cousin's.

"The doctor said so," Clark glanced down at his watch. "Another five or ten minutes."

"Listen, why don't I sit with Lois and you go get yourself a drink?"

"No," Clark denied instantly.

Chloe's brow rose.

Clark shrugged under Chloe's scrutiny.

"What about this canister? Where is it now?"

"There were two but I only got one with me and I gave the doctor it to test it out and find anything which would help Lois."

Chloe wondered at that and thought of how a canister would be very useful for her. If something in that had affected her cousin and the doctors could not find the cause, maybe she could work with it to find something. She didn't have a Masters in chemistry but she had contacts.

A sudden thought struck Chloe, "why don't you go back to the place and get the canister you left behind."

"Would it still be there?" Clark understood the significance of the canister.

"Go check it out Clark. I'll stay here with Lois."

Chloe watched as Clark stared down at Lois for longer than a few seconds before he relinquished her hand and stood up. With one last glance at Lois he sped off, not even alerting the hospital staff, nor the cameras.

Chloe shook her head and chuckled.

She came by Lois' side and sat, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest to show she was breathing. She held Lois's hand and thought about what Lois had gotten herself into now.

Her cousin had forever, since Chloe could remember from childhood, had been the fiery one, the one always getting caught up in mischief. How much had Uncle Sam's parenting led to the way Lois had matured? The way she had mothered Lucy and grown independent, always fending for herself? Chloe was always amazed when it came to her cousin and knew that there were no bounds for her.

Reflecting on Clark's behaviour just before he left had startled her. There was something going on there and she would see further signs before she made any assumptions.

Five minutes hadn't passed and Clark was back at the same time Lois wearily opened her eyes.

Both Chloe and Clark stood, each to one side of Lois. They watched her as she opened her eyes.

Lois felt disorientated and her eyes were dry. She peered out as her eyes widened to find Clark and Chloe hovering over her, their expressions anxious.

"What's got you two looking like someone's died?" Lois quipped, her words coming out rough and husky – her throat was parched.

Chloe smiled and Clark grinned before Chloe brought her a cup of water when Lois gestured for it.

All of her limbs felt weak and her head ached. Clark helped shift her up in the bed, his strong arm a sturdy support for her weak back. Chloe held the cup as she sipped. Lois felt so useless but something must have happened to her. The last thing she remembered was hiding behind the sofa in the magician's apartment, shielding herself from the fire and then the darkness.

"You're awake," Chloe rejoiced.

Lois raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, I pointed out the obvious so what? You gave us a scare Lois. Isn't this becoming a habit? You chasing stories and then ending up in hospital?"

Lois shrugged at Chloe's chastening and turned her gaze to Clark.

"I haven't anything to say, you'll just bite my head off."

Lois gifted him with a big grin.

Her head still ached and her breathing was a little laboured but her limbs were coming back to full strength – she could feel her toes.

Chloe turned to Clark. "Since when have you given up to Lois?"

"Never, but since she can't retaliate I'll leave her be," he paused for effect, "only this time." He smiled.

Chloe glanced back and forth between the two before she gave up. Something was definitely going on here.

"So," Lois began but had to stop for her voice, "what happened?"

Clark scowled at the memory, causing Lois to wince.

"That bad, huh?"

"Lois we were in a fire, which part of that isn't bad?" Clark asked, "I went to see what it was about and when I came back your eyes were glazed and you were so cold. Then you drifted off."

"Oh," Lois gulped.

"Yeah, oh," Clark repeated but in a different tone.

"Let's not worry about all that now. Lois is awake and we can sort all that out another time," Chloe spoke as the voice of reason.

Lois looked to both Chloe and Clark, wanting desperately to ask more questions but knowing that she would get none. Until she was better, ha! What was this? She wasn't some weakling who needed to get well to be able to get things done! Why were they treating her like this? So what, she had gotten herself in hospital, but that happened to loads of people. That's what hospitals were for!

Clark watched the varying expressions cross Lois' face and said, "don't even say it. We don't want to know, right Chloe?"

Chloe nodded.

Lois glared at both of them before she lay back down. So who cared if Clark thought her weak? He was only Smallville.

Clark and Chloe took a seat at either side of her and when she believed things couldn't get any more frustrating for her, Clark spoke.

"Lois, you're moving back to the farm."

Lois balked at his bullheadedness. What century did he think this was? She would make her own decisions and not be told what to do.

"Why am I moving back to the farm?"

Chloe had raised her brows when Clark had made the statement – so her best friend was coming to terms with how to handle her cousin, interesting.

"The doctor said that you need to be kept an eye on as he doesn't know what caused your condition," Clark's eyes never wavered from hers.

"What condition? I just blacked out for a while."

"No Lois," Chloe said, "you didn't. Didn't you listen to what Clark said before? You were cold when there were flames surrounding you and your eyes were glazed. The doctor said that your lungs almost collapsed."

Lois gasped.

Chloe continued, "yeah Lois, there was something in that room which affected you."

"Then why wasn't Clark affected," she turned suspicious eyes on him.

Clark stiffened at the remark.

"We don't know, maybe it only affects females," Chloe said.

Clark cast grateful eyes at Chloe and inwardly relaxed with relief.

"Mmm."

"So you see why you have to move back to the farm?" Clark asked.

"Not really. I can look after myself at the _Talon_."

Clark growled and glowered at Lois, his temper threatening to rise.

"Lois, it might be good for you to move over there as we don't know for certain what caused your black out or whatever you want to call it," Chloe added.

Lois slumped, "not you too Chloe. It's enough dealing with farm boy here," she gesture her hand towards him, "and now you're joining him? What is this? Gang up on Lois day? I refused your offer to move back to the farm last time you asked Smallville and I won't move back now." Lois declared.

"What's so wrong with moving back to the farm?"

Lois glared at Clark and he refused to back down. They both knew why she was refusing and she wasn't going to say it out loud.

Lois stubbornly raised her chin, "I'm staying at the _Talon_."

Chloe's eyes widened in surprise when she witnessed Clark's hands fist, although away from Lois's gaze.

"No you're not. The doctor said you need to be watched and that's why you're moving back to the farm."

Lois set her steely eyes on Clark.

"Fine, if you want it that way. But know this Smallville. I will make your life hell every single morning, day and night."

Clark scowled back at her and then to both Chloe and Lois' astonishment, he grinned.

* * *

**End Note:** Another chapter out! I loved writing this one. The next chapter will be up in a week or two. For those who read _I Want You_, expect the chapter sometime later this week and note that the title for it will be changed to _Smallville: Sweet Sizzling Chemistry_ in a week or two. Thanks to everyone reading this!

Until next time.

x


End file.
